SHARE ON: |
| |
| |
 |
 |
|
|
Some Saskatchewan school staff trying to book COVID-19 vaccine shots before they return to in-person learning on Monday are being denied the ability to schedule their appointments.
According to the province, Saskatchewans COVID-19 vaccination booking system was made available to residents 40-years and older, as well as a variety of remaining frontline employees, starting at 8 a.m. Friday. Teachers and educational staff are included on that list.
A staff member at school in Regina who asked to remain anonymous, said when she called to book an appointment, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) staff member told her she would have to wait for a call from an SHA supervisor in the next number of days after hearing the patient was under 40-years-old.
“We want to make sure that were verifying getting the right people in that are on the priority list and it is a little bit of a process, but its very important that we make sure that the right people are getting into the vaccination clinics at the right time,” Minister of Health Paul Merriman said.
Merriman says it’s important people remember there are also drive throughs and mobile clinics available.
“My phone call this morning was my third attempt at finding a vaccine. The drive through will be my fourth. It’s extremely frustrating to have such an ineffective system. At this point my headspace is ‘don’t get your hopes up they’ll even accept you on Sunday,’” the school staff member said.
The school staff member said she asked for a better timeline, and the SHA member said they will receive a call in the next number of days. Adding the system does not allow SHA staff to book anyone under the age of 40. The SHA member told her only an SHA supervisor can book an appointment for someone under 40.
“The pharmacies are just starting this process so its going to be, theres going to be a little bit of ebb and flow to it,” Merriman said.
The staff member worries she won’t have a vaccine in time for in-person learning on Monday. She said she has been put on numerous waitlists for pharmacies, and will also attempt to get a vaccine at the drive-thru in Regina on Sunday.
The president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) doesn’t support returning to in-class learning so soon and said teachers and staff should be vaccinated before gathering again.
“The numbers in the Regina region are just as high as they were when they went to online learning. So we’d feel a lot better if we waited until teachers were vaccinated, have that two to three weeks build up immunity, and then get rapid testing up and running. It seems like it’s a bit of a rush decision,” STF President Patrick Maze said.
Maze said about 7,000 teachers plus other educational staff still need a vaccine.
He added that it’s understandable there would be challenges with so many essential workers trying to book an appointment, and he prefers this approach over teachers having to wait for their age eligibility.
But he’s also hearing about some teachers and staff being denied any opportunity for an appointment
“We’re trying to deal with those situations in a one off basis, my understanding is out STF executive director has already been in contact with the Ministry of Education and they are in touch with Health and trying to clear up any misunderstandings,” Maze said.
Maze says the STF is also renewing calls for Saskatoon schools to return to online learning as well.
Opposition leader Ryan Meili says the situation has been made more complicated than it needs to be.
“This is another example of a chaotic response. This is a government that rejected the recommendations of the SHAs Expert Policy panel on the vaccine rollout, has been back and forth changing things over and over again, and now theyre telling people that theyre priority that they have no way to actually access that priority service,” Meili said.
Merriman added the Johnson and Johnson vaccine could be available for Saskatchewan residents by Tuesday next week, so more drive thrus can be opened.
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
10 pm |
| 18 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: ENE 24 KM/H
GUSTING TO 40 KM/H |
|
|
 |
11 pm |
| 18 ℃ |
| BROKEN CLOUDS |
WIND: ENE 24 KM/H
GUSTING TO 42 KM/H |
|
|
|
12 am |
| 18 ℃ |
| BROKEN CLOUDS |
WIND: ENE 20 KM/H
GUSTING TO 41 KM/H |
|
|
|
1 am |
| 17 ℃ |
| BROKEN CLOUDS |
WIND: E 22 KM/H
GUSTING TO 42 KM/H |
|
|
|
2 am |
| 17 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
WIND: E 23 KM/H
GUSTING TO 42 KM/H |
|
|
|
3 am |
| 16 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
WIND: ESE 22 KM/H
GUSTING TO 47 KM/H |
|
|
|
4 am |
| 16 ℃ |
| HEAVY INTENSITY RAIN |
WIND: N 6 KM/H
GUSTING TO 19 KM/H |
|
|
|
5 am |
| 16 ℃ |
| HEAVY INTENSITY RAIN |
WIND: ENE 18 KM/H
GUSTING TO 33 KM/H |
|
|
|
 |
TODAY |
HIGH OF 24 ℃
LOW OF 16 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
|
|
|
MONDAY |
HIGH OF 21 ℃
LOW OF 16 ℃ |
| HEAVY INTENSITY RAIN |
|
|
|
TUESDAY |
HIGH OF 14 ℃
LOW OF 11 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
|
|
 |
WEDNESDAY |
HIGH OF 22 ℃
LOW OF 11 ℃ |
| FEW CLOUDS |
|
|
 |
THURSDAY |
HIGH OF 24 ℃
LOW OF 14 ℃ |
| BROKEN CLOUDS |
|
|
|
FRIDAY |
HIGH OF 15 ℃
LOW OF 11 ℃ |
| BROKEN CLOUDS |
|
|
|
SATURDAY |
HIGH OF 13 ℃
LOW OF 7 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
|
|
|
SUNDAY |
HIGH OF 14 ℃
LOW OF 5 ℃ |
| FEW CLOUDS |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
| Buy One Get One 50% Off On BURST Oral Probiotics! |
| |
| Buy one Oral Probiotic, get a second for 50% off. Mix and match allowed. Adult Oral Probiotics includes one packet of Teeth Whitening Breath Strips plus one refillable Floss... |
| |
| Kids Oral Probiotics includes one packet of Kids Flossables. Mix and match allowed. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
ASHLEY MCBRYDE
LIVIN NEXT TO LEROY
10:53 PM |
|
 |
LINDSAY ELL
SHUT ME UP
10:50 PM |
|
 |
JOSH TURNER
HEATIN THINGS UP
10:47 PM |
|
 |
RUSSELL DICKERSON
SPRING BREAK
10:41 PM |
|
 |
TREY LEWIS
GIRL PROBLEM
10:38 PM |
|
 |
ZAC BROWN BAND
PIRATES AND PARROTS
10:34 PM |
|
 |
BRANDON DAVIS
SHOWED UP
10:31 PM |
|
 |
PRISCILLA BLOCK
THINGS YOU DIDNT SEE
10:27 PM |
|
 |
CAYLEE HAMMACK
MAMMAS
10:23 PM |
|
 |
DYLAN MARLOWE
HEART BRAKES
10:19 PM |
|
 
 |
